Safety footwear

ABSTRACT

Safety footwear consisting of a shoe-like footwear member such as a rubber overshoe, a cleated member carried movably by said overshoe for movement between a use position in which the cleats thereof extend downwardly from the bottom of said overshoe and a storage position in which it is disposed above the bottom of said overshoe and exteriorly thereof, and fasteners for securing said cleated member selectively and releasably in either of said positions.

United States Patent 1191 Hunnicutt 51 Jan. 30, 1973 [54] SAFETY FOOTWEAR [76] Inventor: Cecil C. llunnicutt, 206 Harrison St., Sabetha, Kans. 66534 [22] Filed: April 29, 1971 [2]] Appl. No.: 138,607

[52] U.S. Cl. ..36/61 [51] Int. Cl ..A4 3c 15/00 [58] Field of Search ..36/59 R, 61, 62, 66, 67 R [56] References Cited U NITED STATES PATENTS 2,422,335 6/l947 Bozek ..36/6I 2,577,478 12/195] Nordin ..36/6l FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS France ..36/6l 'Primary Examiner Patrick D. Lawson Att0rney.lohn A. Hamilton [57] ABSTRACT Safety footwear consisting of a shoe-like footwear member such as a rubber overshoe, a cleated member carried movably by said overshoe for movement between a use position in which the cleats thereof ex- I tend downwardly from the bottom of said overshoe and a storage position in which it is disposed above the bottom of said overshoe and exteriorly thereof,

and fasteners for securing said cleated member selectively and releasably in either of said positions.

3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJAN 30 1975 III? E g It INVENTOR. 6220/) C Harm/cuff WAW.

SAFETY FOOTWEAR This invention relates to new and useful improvements in safety footwear, and has particular reference to footwear providing anti-skid cleats or spikes on the soles thereof for the users safety when walking on slick or icy surfaces.

A principal object of the present invention is the provision of safety footwear of the character described in which the cleats or spikes are movable between and securable in either a use position in which they extend downwardly from the sole of the footwear, as is normal in spiked footwear, or a storage position in which they are disposed above the sole of the footwear and exteriorly thereof. This permits the cleats to be used only when they are actually needed. Cleats should of course not be used except when actually needed, as they provide unsure footing on hard surfaces such as concrete or wooden floors or the like, and can be damaged thereby, as well as themselves inflicting damage on such surfaces.

Another object is the provision of safety footwear of the general character described wherein the cleats, when in their storage position, are not exposed but are covered and shielded, whereby they cannot inflict damage or injury on the wearer or his clothing, other persons, furniture, and the like.

Other objects are simplicity and economy of construction, efficiency and dependability of operation, and adaptability of the cleat assembly for use either as an attachment for pre-existing footwear, or as original equipment in specially formed footwear.

With these objects in view, as well as other objects which will appear in the course of ,the specification, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a piece of safety footwear embodying the present invention, with the cleats shown in their operative position,

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line IIII of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the cleats in their storage position,

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line IVIV ofFIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary top elevational view of the footwear, with the flap to which the cleats are affixed in a laid-out position,

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken on line VI-VI of FIG. 3, and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken on line VII--VII of FIG. 5.

Like reference numerals apply to similar parts throughout the several views, and the numeral 2 applies generally to a piece of footwear, which may conveniently be an ordinary rubber overshoe, although the cleat arrangement forming the primary subject matter of the present invention may also be applied to other types of footwear. Said overshoe includes a sole portion 4, a heel portion 6 disposed rearwardly of said sole portion, and a continuous upstanding sidewall 8 rising from the peripheral edges of said sole and heel, all as common and well known in the art. The toe portion of the overshoe is not shown, but may also be standard. The overshoe is adapted to be applied over the wearers ordinary shoe, in the usual manner.

Affixed at its forward edge to the bottom of heel 6 of the overshoe, and extending rearwardly therefrom, is a flap 10 of elastic flexible material, such as a rubber sheet. Said flap is affixed to the overshoe by a forward extension 12, said extension underlying the bottom of heel portion 6 of the overshoe. Said extension may be permanently cemented to the overshoe, as shown, or could be riveted or otherwise permanently affixed thereto. Alternatively, flap 10 could be formed integrally with the overshoe, although the arrangement shown permits the cleats to be applied as an add-on accessory to pre-existing footwear, as will appear. To the surface of flap 10 which is uppermost when said flap is extended rearwardly from the heel of the overshoe, there is affixed a strong metal cleat plate 14 to which upwardly projecting cleats 16 are attached. As best shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, each cleat is of substantially cylindrical cup-shape, being internally threaded and having a flange 18 at its open end bearing against plate 14. A screw 20 having its head 22 at the opposite side of flap 10 extends through said flap and through a hole 24 formed therefor in said plate, and is threaded into the cleat. The cleats are preferably formed of hardened metal to better resist wear, and have sharp edges to bight into ice surfaces, but may be of various different configurations.

Thus it will be seen that flap 10 may be selectively folded forwardly to underlie heel 6 of the overshoe (or forward extension 12 of the flap), in which position cleats 16 are exposed and project downwardly, as in FIGS. 1 and 2, this being the use position thereof, or folded upwardly to overlie the outer surface of the heel portion of the side wall 8 of the overshoe as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, this being the storage position thereof. In this position, cleat plate 14 and cleats 16 are disposed between flap l0 and side wall 8 of the overshoe, so that said cleats are shielded and cannot inflict damage or injury to clothing, furniture or persons. In the use position, of course, the cleats bight into and provide non-slip traction on any icy surface on which the wearer may be walking.

Means are provided for releasably securing flap l0 selectively in either its use or storage positions. As shown, this means includes opposite lateral extensions 26 of flap 10, substantially in alignment with cleat plate 14. Said extensions are of course flexibly elastic as is said flap, being integral with said flap, and each extension is provided adjacent its outer end with a hole 28 formed therethrough, from which a radial slit 30 is cut. When flap I0 is in the use position'shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, flap extensions 26' are folded to extend upwardly alongside walls 8 of the overshoe, at opposite sides of the heel. They are then pulled taut, and the holes 28 thereof snapped over a pair of headed buttons 32 fixed to the respectively opposite side walls 8 of the overshoe by screws 34. Slits 30 permit ready expansion of holes 28 to pass over the heads of said buttons. When flap l0 is in the storage position of FIGS. 3 and 4, flap extensions 26 are led forwardly around the respectively opposite side walls 8 of the overshoe, drawn taut, and holes 28 thereof snapped over a second pair of headed buttons 36 secured in said overshoe side walls by screws 38. Thus flap 10, andthe cleats 16 carried thereby, may be securely but releasably fastened in either the use or storage position. The fastening is secure despite the flexible elasticity of the overshoe,

flap 10, and extensions 26 thereof, due to the rigidity or stiffness imparted to the overshoe by the presence of the wearers ordinary shoe and foot therein. Fasteners of any common type other than buttons 32 and 36, such as snap fasteners, hooks and eyes, or the like, could be used if desired.

The operation of the invention is deemed to have been fully and completely described in connection with the description of its construction. The invention resides not in the mere provision of cleats or spikes for footwear, this concept per se of course being old and well known, for example in golf shoes, but in the provision of cleats or spikes having both a use position in which they are exposed and disposed in I an advantageous attitude for use, and a storage position in which they are shielded and protected, and means whereby they may be easily, rapidly, and conveniently transferred to and secured in either position.

While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my invention, it will be readily apparent that many minor changes of structureand operation could be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. Safety footwear comprising:

a. a shoe adapted to be worn on the foot,

b. a flap formed of a pliably flexible material, said flap being generally planar and secured to said shoe along a peripheral edge of the ground-engaging bottom surface thereof, said flap being foldable along its line of juncture with said shoe,

0. a rigid cleat plate of substantial area fixed to the surface of said flap which is angularly adjacent the side wall of said shoe, having regard to the folding movement of said flap,

. a plurality of cleats affixed in and projecting outwardly from said cleat plate, whereby said flap may be folded beneath said shoe to place said cleats in a use position projecting downwardly from said shoe, or upwardly along the side of said shoe exteriorly thereof, to place said cleats in a storage position between said flap and said shoe, and

. means for securing said flap and said cleats selectively and releasably in either said use position or said storage position.

2. Safety footwear as recited in claim 1 wherein said securing means comprises:

a. opposite lateral extensions of said flap, said extensions being generally aligned with said cleats and generally parallel to the line of juncture of said flap with said shoe, whereby when said flap is in its use position said extensions may be folded to extend upwardly along opposite side walls of said shoe, and when said flap is in its storage position said extensions may project horizontally in opposite directions along the side walls of said shoe, and

. fasteners carried by the side wall of said shoe and adapted to be releasably engaged by the free end portions of said flap extensions in either of the recited positions thereof.

3. Safety footwear as recited in claim 1 wherein said flap extensions are resiliently elastic, and wherein said fas eners are so positioned on said shoe as to require elastic elongation of said extensions before they can be engaged by said fasteners.

l l I. 

1. Safety footwear comprising: a. a shoe adapted to be worn on the foot, b. a flap formed of a pliably flexible material, said flap being generally planar and secured to said shoe along a peripheral edge of the ground-engaging bottom surface thereof, said flap being foldable along its line of juncture with said shoe, c. a rigid cleat plate of substantial area fixed to the surface of said flap which is angularly adjacent the side wall of said shoe, having regard to the folding movement of said flap, d. a plurality of cleats affixed in and projecting outwardly from said cleat plate, whereby said flap may be folded beneath said shoe to place said cleats in a use position projecting downwardly from said shoe, or upwardly along the side of said shoe exteriorly thereof, to place said cleats in a storage position between said flap and said shoe, and e. means for securing said flap and said cleats selectively and releasably in either said use position or said storage position.
 1. Safety footwear comprising: a. a shoe adapted to be worn on the foot, b. a flap formed of a pliably flexible material, said flap being generally planar and secured to said shoe along a peripheral edge of the ground-engaging bottom surface thereof, said flap being foldable along its line of juncture with said shoe, c. a rigid cleat plate of substantial area fixed to the surface of said flap which is angularly adjacent the side wall of said shoe, having regard to the folding movement of said flap, d. a plurality of cleats affixed in and projecting outwardly from said cleat plate, whereby said flap may be folded beneath said shoe to place said cleats in a use position projecting downwardly from said shoe, or upwardly along the side of said shoe exteriorly thereof, to place said cleats in a storage position between said flap and said shoe, and e. means for securing said flap and said cleats selectively and releasably in either said use position or said storage position.
 2. Safety footwear as recited in claim 1 wherein said securing means comprises: a. opposite lateral extensions of said flap, said extensions being generally aligned with said cleats and generally parallel to the line of juncture of said flap with said shoe, whereby when said flap is in its use position said extensions may be folded to extend upwardly along opposite side walls of said shoe, and when said flap is in its storage position said extensions may project horizontally in opposite directions along the side walls of said shoe, and b. fasteners carried by the side wall of said shoe and adapted to be releasably engaged by the free end portions of said flap extensions in either of the recited positions thereof. 